For the past few years I’ve gotten paid to speak to audiences about a variety of different topics. In addition to that, I’ve created hundreds of videos both behind and in front of the camera. So I’d like to think that this qualifies me on HOW to talk to the camera, and if you feel like I don’t do a very good job of it, then you probably shouldn’t watch this video. But if you do and you’re still here, then I want to walk you through some of the biggest mistakes I see people make when they are talking on camera and how you can avoid those regardless of whether you’re a beginner at being on camera or even if you have years of experience.

When I first started talking on camera I was awkward. It was bad. And really boring. But the more I did it, the less I sucked, and the less you suck at something, the better you get at it to the point where someday you are actually good at it.

The goal of talking on camera is to replicate a normal human conversation. You wouldn’t think that such a hard thing to do but when you have the camera and microphone and all the lights and the pressure of saying the right thing stacked on top of the nerves and maybe you’re an introvert and this and that and all these things stacked on top of each other, it can be kind of intimidating. So let me show you the 10 biggest mistakes I see and how to fix those so that you look like a natural.

The 1st tip is to make Eye contact with the lens and break eye contact/look away every once in a while. This is especially true if you are reading from a teleprompter or a script. When you’re having a normal face-to-face conversation with someone, you want to look them in the eyes, but not to the point where it looks like you’re staring into their soul. Next time you have a face-to-face conversation with someone, notice how often they look away and how often you look away while you’re gathering your thoughts, thinking about something, recalling information, being distracted by something, and honestly just because it’s a habit. It’s what we do. It’s what we’ve done our whole lives. If you maintain eye contact 100% of the time in a conversation, it’s a bit creepy. So if I’m reading from a script or a teleprompter I will read ahead a bit and then look down or look up or look to the side every once in a while. So you want to make eye contact to make it feel personal, but you also want to look away every once in a while to make it look natural.

The 2nd tip is to Make it look like you’re gathering your thoughts, even if you are following a script. You can do this by having pauses at certain times or even repeating… or even repeating things. You see what I did there? So instead of saying something like “Outdated Marketing strategies is my enemy. It is taking too much of your money without giving you a phenomenal return on investment.” You could say “Outdated Marketing strategies… is my enemy. It is taking, too much of your money without giving you… a phenomenal return on your investment.” Again, it’s the same message, but one feels way more personal and conversational. One of the coolest magic tricks you can do is following a script without making it look like you’re following a script.

The 3rd tip is to use facial expressions. I would rather look at a face that’s not very attractive who is making interesting facial expressions than a beautiful face who is expressionless. That’s just how humans are! And this is one of the reasons why video is so much better than text or images, is that you can see someone’s facial expression which is a crucial form of non-verbal communication, something that is so important for tapping into emotions instead of just logic. Obviously you don’t want to take it too far, but showing interest, passion, wonder, fascination, confidence, thoughtfulness, empathy, determination, curiosity, or surprise, those expressions offer messages that you could never fully get through written text.

Going off of that and in the same vain as non verbal communication is to use hand movements. This helps you try to explain what you are saying and makes it easier to understand. Gestures like these emphasize certain words that you’re saying and convey feelings more clearly than just using words. Now, with this in mind try not to use the same hand movement again and again. Some of my favorite hand gestures is to list on my fingers if I’m going through a list, or if I’m explaining two different things have one hand to my right and one to my left to show the contrast. Having Open Palms shows honesty, openness, and sincerity. Pressing your fingertips together shows confidence and authority. Making a chopping gesture with the edge of the hand can emphasize a point that you’re really trying to make. Moving your hands in a circular motion can signify something ongoing, like a process, a system, or continuous improvement.

The 5th tip is to switch between inflections of excited and fast, to slow and important. Because whether you realize it or not, we do this in our daily life all the time. This can be done with the speed of your voice, but also with the volume and tone. If you’re speaking at the same tone and the same speed the whole time, it gets stale and kind of annoying. Again, this doesn’t have to be taken to the extreme, but just be conscious of your speed and tone and make sure to switch it up every once in a while.

The 6th tip is to Get in a comfortable position. Obviously you don’t want to slouch your shoulders or lean too far back into your seat, but it’s helpful having some back support, and sitting back just enough to where you’re comfortable. Sometimes you can cross your legs or lean forward onto a desk or table like I’m doing here, but I’ve just found that you sound more authentic when you are in a comfortable position.

The 7th tip is to Give 110%. The thing about videos is that you need to Make it feel a little bit over the top which will actually make it look more natural. You see, People are used to over-the-top YouTubers to keep their attention, so don’t worry about going a bit bigger than usual. Again, you don’t want to take this too far, but your audience is more likely to watch your video till the end if you are animated and over the top enough to make it entertaining. People are paying with their time to watch you, so make it worth it.

The 8th tip is to Practice. The more you practice, the better you’ll naturally become at it. Like anything, this skill is like a muscle and will get stronger and stronger the more you do it. It helps just to be mindful of how you are speaking during conversation. Notice what you’re good at and what you can improve on. Practice in front of a mirror or record yourself with your phone and watch it back. Doing this will always show you something you can improve on. You probably won’t become an expert at this overnight, and that’s totally ok.

The 9th tip is to act confident. You know, Fake it till you make it. Put your shoulders back, and realize that if YOU’RE speaking about a subject on camera, it’s probably because you’re either an expert on that subject, or you know more about it than most people. Use that as a foundation that you can build your confidence on top of. If you’re a lawyer and you’re talking about how you can best help your clients, you may not feel super confident being on camera, but geez you absolutely know what you’re talking about and you’ve done this a million times off camera. If you are speaking on camera, you are the authority, so just show it.

And finally, the 10th tip is to just be authentic. Honestly, people want to see you be yourself more than they want to see you pretend to be someone you’re not. I’m a pretty weird and quirky guy and I’m not afraid to show that side of myself on camera. Tom Hanks is someone who always just is authentic with any of his roles. Keanu Reeves is authentically himself, showing that he’s super humble and down to earth. Steve Irwin was authentically enthusiastic about how much he genuinely loved wildlife. Drew Barrymore always seems authentic and approachable. Gordon Ramsay is… Well he’s a lot of things. But he is most definitely authentic. The point is, don’t try to be someone that you’re not. Be yourself, be authentic, and your audience will recognize that.

If we get the chance to work together it is my job to help coach you on all of these things. And I have a pretty secret recipe that I use with clients that is like the secret sauce to being authentic but it’s kind of like a trade secret so I can’t share it on here. But if we end up getting the chance to work together I’ll tell you what it is. Its a game-changer for sure.